Far Away
by Namike
Summary: One-shot. This takes place at the very end of the manga and soon to be the anime. This story contains a song that describes what's going on during Inuyasha's and Kagome's separation. Inu/Kag.


Well, this story has been a looooong time in the making. It's one of those stories I wish I could make into a video, but sadly, the right footage doesn't exist. D: This story is based off of Nickelback's "Far Away", which I think is the best song for the end of the manga. Hell, it's one of the best song ever. XD

Kudos go out to my cousin Light of Polaris for reading this one day and bugging me to finish it. To the rest of you Inuyasha fans out there... Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own Nickelback or any of their works. I just listen to them over and over again.

* * *

~*~ Flashback ~*~

"What's the matter, Kikyo? Just do her like you did me," Inuyasha sneered down at a girl in strange clothing, who was lying on the ground before his tree.

The young girl angrily got up and marched up the root to get right in his face. "Kikyo, KIKYO! Whoever she is, I'm not her because my name is—"

"And I say you gotta be her because there is NO way YOU could smell so—" Inuyasha sniffed the air, soon adopting an embarrassed look on his face. "Y-you're not her…"

She stomped on the tree root in frustration. "I KNOW! MY name is Kagome! Ka-go-me!"

~*~End Flashback ~*~

Inuyasha looked up at the Sacred Tree, the place where he was betrayed by Kikyo…and where he first met Kagome. It had been over three years since that day, the day where his entire life would go in a new direction – all because of her.

_This time, this place,_

_Misused, mistakes…_

Inuyasha placed his hand on the very spot where the arrow had pierced his heart, nailing him to the tree. So many mistakes had been made at that spot: Naraku successfully tricking Inuyasha and Kikyo into betraying each other; Inuyasha trying to kill Kagome when they had first met – he shuddered at the thought.

Inuyasha took his hand off the tree and walked past a few bushes and trees, only to end up by the Bone Eater's Well. This well, this seemingly unimportant well, was where Inuyasha had almost said good-bye to Kagome that one time. Inuyasha had been so hesitant because he didn't want the knowledge of ever leaving Kagome. He could still remember it as thought it was yesterday…

~*~ Flashback ~*~

There she was, sitting on the lip of the well, the wind gently blowing her hair. Inuyasha stopped in awe of seeing her, and when she looked up to meet his eyes, his breath caught in his chest. Would this really be the end? Was this the final good-bye he had been so desperately putting off these past few days?

His thoughts raced through his mind as she walked up to him and looked him in the eyes with a soft expression.

"Inuyasha… Can I stay with you?" she asked hesitantly.

Inuyasha swallowed hard. "Would you…stay with me?"

She smiled the sweetest smile he had ever seen as she tilted her head. "Then let's go." She took his hand in hers, and started to lead him towards the village.

Inuyasha was taken aback by her actions at first, but soon recovered and hurried a bit to walk beside her. He was so happy that she was staying. He tried desperately to find the words, but he couldn't. So, he resorted to the one thing he could do: squeeze her hand.

Both of them halted and looked at each other. That simple action said more than any words could in a lifetime.

~*~End Flashback ~*~

_Too long, too late,_

_Who was I to make you wait?_

Now, it was too late. She was gone, back to the future, on the other side of that damned well. He had been given so many chances to say those three words to her, and he missed every one of them. There was no going back now. Inuyasha mentally kicked himself for not truly telling her what he wanted to say; what she had wanted to but never asked to hear.

_Just one chance, just one breath,_

_Just in case there's just one left,_

Inuyasha slammed his fist onto the well's lip. Tears were threatening to fall.

'_Cause you know, you know, you know…_

"I love you, Kagome. Damnit, I have loved you all long. And I miss you. You've been far away for far too long."

"Inuyasha! I need your help with this bag! It's really heavy!"

Inuyasha looked up and saw—Kagome?!

It was her, all lively and in her usual school uniform. She was on the other side of the well, trying to lift her yellow backpack up. Kagome looked up at Inuyasha. "Well, are you gonna help me out or not?"

"Uhh, s-sure," Inuyasha stammered out. He walked over to her and helped get the as-always heavy bag out of the hole in the ground.

"Whew! Thanks Inuyasha," Kagome said happily. "I never would have gotten it out by myself."

"Kagome, what the hell do you have in here, rocks?!" Inuyasha opened the bag and saw books, ramen, books, sleeping bag, clothes, and…books.

"Well, I need those books to study! It's not like I can call my friends and ask what I have missed for the day while I'm over here, you know!" Kagome replied with her hands on her hips. "Now come on. I would really appreciate it if you could carry that to Kaede's hut for me," she said as she started to walk off.

Inuyasha stood looking after her for a few seconds, then snapped back to his senses. "Hold on! This is _your_ stuff. Why do _I_ have to carry it?! I'm not a luggage mule!"

Kagome turned around, and had a huge smile on her face. Giggling, she skipped away, leaving a fuming Inuyasha behind.

"Kagome! Get back here!" Inuyasha leaped after her and made to grab her arm. However, his hand went right through it. Horrified, he looked up into her face, which was still beaming with happiness, as it disappeared into sunlight.

_I keep dreamin' you'll be with me and you'll never go;_

_Stop breathin' if I don't see you anymore._

So, it had been another hallucination. He should have known. Yet, his heart ached even more, knowing that it wasn't Kagome. Inuyasha fell to his knees and bowed his head.

_On my knees, I'll ask,_

_Last chance for one last dance…_

Just one. Just one more chance to see her, to hold her, to tell her. That was all he wished for now. Inuyasha's memory brought him back to the many times when Kagome had been taken from him, and remembered how hard he fought to get her back again. He would do so again, only this time, time had snatched her from him.

'_Cause with you, I'd withstand_

_All of hell to hold your hand._

There was no winning that battle.

_Wait, what the hell am I doing? Am I just giving up that easily after three years?_ Inuyasha look bewildered, and mentally slapped himself again. He was NOT going to give up on her! Time may be an obstacle, but there was still a whole lot of it! Another chance for her to come back! There had to be!

_I'd give it all, I'd give for us._

_Give anything but I won't give up._

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~_

'_Cause you know, you know, you know…_

_I loved you. I have loved you all along. _

_And I miss you. Been far away for far too long._

'Well, today was my gradation from high school. Can you believe it, Inuyasha? Three years…and I made through it all."

Kagome said these words aloud to an empty well – one that used to be such good transportation for her. "I wish you were here to see it. I think you would have had fun. Even Gramps had his share of it," she smiled.

Ever since that day Inuyasha was taken from her, she had visited the well every day, hoping he would be there waiting for her, just like always, and being impatient about it, too. Sadly, no such thing ever happened. Over time, she started talking to the well, hoping that maybe, just maybe, Inuyasha would be listening. In a weird way, it had given her comfort and the courage to go about her daily life, all with high school and caring for her ailing grandfather.

Today was different, though. No more schools for kids, no more school uniforms. In a week's time, she'd be moving away to college to start learning the basics for her new career. For some reason, that scared her. Perhaps it was because she wouldn't be with her family anymore. Or, was it because she'd be leaving her past behind?

Looking down in the well, Kagome remembered being dragged down there against her will by Mistress Centipede.

_If it hadn't been for the Sacred Jewel inside me, it never would have happened, would it?_ A soft, sad sigh escaped her. It had all come down to the Sacred Jewel in the end, hadn't it?

"I keep dreaming that you'll be with me, Inuyasha, and that you'll never go. It's been with me all this time." She smiled sadly.

_Stop breathin' if I don't see you anymore._

Was it truly the end? She closed her watering eyes. A tear fell from her face and landed at the bottom of the well.

Suddenly, Kagome opened her eyes and saw a light at the bottom of the well. Was that…? No, it couldn't be….could it?

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~_

_So far away, so far away…_

_Far away for far too long._

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~_

_So far away, so far away…_

_Far away for far too long._

This sensation… She had missed it for so long, it had nearly given her a fright when she felt weightless once again.

Lightly landing on her feet, Kagome looked up and saw a clear blue sky and light pouring into the top of the well. How she had missed that sky!

Looking around her, she looked for the familiar ladder that was made up of natural vines, but discovered they were no longer there. It seemed they had decayed over time. Kagome frowned at this. How was she going to get out now?

_But you know, you know, you know…_

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~_

This scent on the wind, it was so familiar. Could it be…? He ran to find out.

_I wanted, I wanted you to stay._

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~_

A shadow passed over the well. She looked up, and saw a familiar clawed hand reaching down for her. She grabbed it.

'_Cause I needed, I need to hear you say._

Light flooded her vision, and there he was.

There _she_ was.

He trembled when he held her. This was it, he had to do it now, before it was too late.

"I love you, Kagome. I have loved you all along. I forgive you, for being far away for far too long."

_So keep breathin', _

"I'm not leaving you anymore, Inuyasha." She pressed her face into his kimono, still not believing this was real.

"I'm not leaving you anymore, too, Kagome. Believe it." Her scent, the warmth of her body against his… This was _real_.

"Hold onto me, never let me go."

_'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore._

_Believe it._

_Hold on to me and, never let me go_

They hugged tighter, neither wanting to let go. Ever.

_Keep breathin'_

_Hold on to me and, never let me go_

_Keep breathin'_

_Hold on to me and, never let me go._


End file.
